It was an early start for Donagh Carey, to transport his paintings to Carlow and hang in Lennons Restaurant at the VISUAL Arts Centre before it opened for Sunday Brunch. The Byrne family, who are the hospitality behind the restaurant gave Donagh a warm welcome. Sinead Byrne slipped off her shoes to climb up on the seating and help with the hang, whilst her son Ross who is the chef, prepared a much appreciated post-hang lunch.

The award winning restaurant has been situated on the ground floor of the VISUAL Arts Centre since 2009 and was previously at another location in Carlow town for several years. The owners are keen to show the work of selected contemporary artists in the restaurant and exhibitions change every few weeks.

There's always a thrill for the artist to see paintings that have been toiled over for weeks, months and even years, come together and exhibited as a coherent collection.

This new collection of oil paintings by Donagh Carey is a revisit to the theme of the Skellig Islands and Ballinskellig. The Monastic settlement in the early centuries have become an enduring pre-occupation in Donagh's work and here he explores the idea of sanctuary, the effects of time and solitude.

This was an exciting opportunity for Donagh to show some of his larger oil paintings. Shown here from left to right, Sanctuary, Chalice Stone and Refuge.

Lennons restaurant is open as follows;

DINNER THURSDAY – SATURDAY FROM 6PM
EARLY BIRD ALL NIGHT THURSDAYS, 6-7PM FRIDAY & SATURDAY
LUNCH 7 DAYS FROM 12PM